Railway track spiking machine



June 28, 1966 R. B. DOORLEY ETAL 3,257,962

RAILWAY TRACK SPIKING MACHINE Filed March 2, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet l III INVENTORS. Richard B. Door/ey Pau/ S. Serf/e, Jr.

BY W414 Ma4 W. THE If? A TTORNE Y5 June 28, 1966 R B. DOORLEY ETAL 3,257,962

RAILWAY TRACK SPIKING MACHINE Filed March 2, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. Richard B. Door/ey Paul .5. Serf/e, Jr.

THE IR ATTORNEYS June 28, 1966 R. B. DOORLEY ETAL RAILWAY TRACK SPIKING MACHINE Filed March 2, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 W E "w.

J Ji 0 V'IIO Fig. 6'

INVENTORS. Richard HDoor/ey Pau/ S. Serf/e, Jr.

THE If? A TTOR/VEYS June 28, 1966 R. B. DOORLEY ETAL 3,

RAILWAY TRACK SPIKING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 2, 1962 INVENTORS. Richard B. Door/ey BY Paul 5. Serf/e, Jr.

114- l fulyilz l THE IR ATTORNEYS June 28, 1966 R. B. DOORLEY ETAL 3,257,962

RAILWAY TRACK SPIKING MACHINE Filed March 2, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 22f Ric/70rd B. Door/ey Paul 5. Serf/e, Jr.

THE If? A TTORNE Y5 June 1966 R B. DOORLEY ETAL RAILWAY TRACK SPIKING MACHINE Filed March 2, 1962 7 Sh'ets-S he'et e INVENTORS. Richard B. Door/ey Paul 5. Serf/e, Jz

ZZ /44+ MAJTQM THE If? A TTORNE Y5 United States Patent 3,257,962 RAILWAY TRACK SPIKING MAClmlE Richard B. Doorley, Brentwood Eorough, and Paul Settle, Jr., Fox Chapel Borough, Pa., assignors to Karlway Maintenance Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 177,000 16 Claims. (Cl. 104-17) This invention relates to a spike driving machine and more particularly to arailway track spiking machine that includes a mechanism for positioning the spike a predetermined distance above the tie plate so that the operator can accurately position the spike to properly drive it through the hol in the tie plate.

This invention is an improvement on the machines d-isclosed in patent No. 2,925,048 entitled Railway Track Servicing Machine, assigned to the present assignee, and application Serial No. 768,453 filed October 20, 1958.

The prior machines disclosed in the above references contributed substantially to the advancement of the art of railway track spiking. The prior machines are efficient and well suited for their intended purpose. Ther are certain highly desirable features, however, which are not included on either of the prior machines. Certain of these features form a part of our invention. These features provide a more efficient machine which increases the speed at which the track may be serviced and results in a reduction of over-all labor costs.

A railway track spike driving machine includes a spike driving hammer assemblythat is carried at a predetermined vertical distance from the top of the rail. The top of the rail is thus utilized as the reference plane for the spike driver hammer assembly. The spike driving hammer assembly is constructed to move downwardly while driving the spike to a position where the spike secures the rail to the tie plate and tie. This position may be called the bottom stop position for the spike driving hammer assembly. It is highly desirable to accurately determine the bottom stop posit-ion because either overdriving or underdriving the spike reduces the effectiveness of the driven spike. Since the top of the rail is employed as the reference plane for the spike driving hammer assembly, the downward distance traveled by the hammer assembly must be adjusted to compensate for changes in rail height. One feature of our improved machine is an adjustable mechanism that changes the relative position of the bottom stop in accordance with the rail height.

The adjustment mechanism also serves to simpltaneous- 1y adjust the position at which the magnetic spike holder is pulled from under the spike driving hammer during the spike driving operation. The magnetic spike holder is positioned beneath the spike driving hammer in spaced relation thereto. The spike holder is pivotally connected to the spike driving hammer and is arranged to bepulled from under the spike driving hammer after the spike has penetrated the tie a predetermined distance. As previously stated, the top of the rail is used as the reference plane for the spike driving hammer assembly. Therefore, the position at which the spike holder is pulled from under the hammer also depends on the rail height and must, therefore, be adjusted to provide an assembly wherein the spike holder will be pulled from under the spike driving hammer after the spike has penetrated the ti a predetermined distance. As the spike driving hammer moves downwardly, the spike holder and the spike positioned therein move downwardly with the spike driving hammer until the spike enters the hol in the tie plate and the chisel end of the spike abuts the tie. The spike remains fixed relative to the tie and slides across the face of the spikes.

both position the spike in the hole and drive the spike magnet in the magnetic spike holder until the head of the spike is inside the socket of th spike driving hammer. A back pressure on the spike driving hammer is exerted through the spike as the spike driving hammer continues its downward movement. The back pressur opens a spring valve and energizes the spike driving hammer. The magnet of the spike holder continues to hold the spike in position until the spike is driven into the tie a predetermined distance of about one inch. After the spike has penetrated the tie this predetermined distance, it is firmly set in the tie. The holder is then withdrawn from under the spikedriving hammer. The magnetic holding force of the spike holder can now be overcome in withdrawing the magnetic spike holder without disturbing the alignment of the spike since the spike is held at its lower end by its penetration into the tie and at its upper end by the socket in the hammer. For proper operation of the spike driving hammer assembly, an accurate adjustment means is required for the spike driving hammer assembly to assure the timely withdrawal of the spike holder from beneath the hammer assembly. If the spike holder is withdrawn before the spike is firmly held by the hammer and the tie, the magnetic force of the spike holder would move the spik out of proper alignment. If the spike holder is permitted to remain beneath the spike driving hammer until the spike has penetrated beyond the above discussed predetermined depth, damage to the spike holder by means of the spike driving hammer is likely to occur. We have, therefore, provided an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the position at which the magnetic spike holder is pulled from under the spike driving hammer after the spike has penetrated the tie a predetermined distance. This adjustment mechanism also simultaneously adjusts the bottom stop position for the spike driving hammer. The two desirable and useful adjustments are, therefore, accomplished with a single adjustment mechanism.

One of the problems present in railway track spiking machines is the accurate positioning of the spike over the hole in the tie plate. The spike driving hammer is usu ally carried by the machine in a retracted position; that is, the hammer is above the rail and at a substantial distance from the tie plate. the past only two stop positions for the spike driving hammer, the fully retracted up position and the fully extended down position. It has, therefore, been the practice in the past to manually set the spikes in the holes so that the operator of the spike driving machine had only to judge positioning the socket of the spike driving hammer over the head of the spike rather than inserting a spike into a hole having close tolerance. Attempts have been made to eliminate the manual hand setting of the Spike driving machines have been employed to into position The operator of the spike driving machine having only the two stop positions was required, with the spike driving hammer in the fully retracted position,

to judge the alignment of the spike and the hole in the tie plate. 'This required extraordinary skill and'experience on behalf of the operator and so frequently resulted in the'spike either missing the hole completely or striking an edge of the tie plate surrounding the hole and thus skewing the spike in the holder. Under these circumstances where the spike was misaligned due to the spike striking an edge of the tie plate, the operator was required to retract the spike driving head and either remove the spike or reposition it manually. Thus the:

manual positioning of the spikes or the practice of align ing the spike and the tie plate hole with the hammer in a fully retracted position restricted the speed at which the track could be serviced.

There have been provided in We have provided, in our improved spiking machine, apparatus for interrupting the downward movement of the spike driving hammer assembly when the spike is a small distance above the tie plate. With this apparatus, the operator now stops the spike driving hammer assembly with the spike positioned therebeneath so that the chisel point of the spike is adjacent the tie plate. The operator then accurately positions the spike over the hole in the tie plate by moving the spike driving hammer assembly fore and aft. After the operator has accurately positioned the spike over the hole in the tie plate, the downward movement of the spike driving hammer is again initiated to drive the spike through the hole in the tie plate into the tie therebeneath. As previously discussed, the spike driving hammer assembly uses the top of the rail as a reference plane. another adjustment mechanism which adjusts the intermediate stop position at which the spike stops above the tie plate. This adjustment is made according to changes in either rail height or the length of the spike used. For certain uses, spikes of different lengths are employed. We therefore include in our improved apparatus an adjustment mechanism that stops the spike driving hammer assembly when the chisel edge portion of a spike of selected longitudinal dimension is a predetermined distance above the tie plate.

Another problem encountered in railway track spiking machines having a magnetic spike holder beneath the spike driving hammer is the misalignment of the spikes in the spike holder. At times, the spikes adhere to the magnet in a skewed position relative to the hole in the tie plate and the spike driving hammer head portion. The misalignment can be attributed to many factors such as dirt, corrosion or foreign material in the feeder trough or chute. Misalignment can also be caused by nonuniformity of the spikes or bent spikes that do not slide freely in the feed chute. The spike holder is positioned beneath the spike driving hammer and adjacent to a spike feeding chute. The spike slides down the chute and adheres to the permanent magnet portion of the spike holder. The permanent magnet included in the spike holder has a magnetic surface positioned at right angles to the rail. If the spike does not adhere to the surface of the magnet in a truly aligned position between the tie plate hole and the head ofthe hammer, the hammer will not drive the spike into the tie plate hole. The operator does not have any adjustment facilities or alignment facilities in known machines to correct the position of the spike in the spike holder. The operator must, therefore, manually reposition the spike in the holder in aligned position with the spike driving hammer and the hole in the tie plate. The correction in alignment of the spikes in the holder reduces substantially the speed at which the track can be surfaced.

We have eliminated the above problem by including a positive means to clamp the spike in the spike holder to maintain the spike in true alignment with the spike driving hammer. We provide a clamp means that engages the spike after the spike driving hammer assembly has moved downwardly a predetermined distance. The clamp means moves the spike against a shoulder provided on the spike holder so that the spike is in proper alignment with the spike driving hammer. Both the spike holder and the clamp means are withdrawn from beneath the spike driving hammer after the spike has penetrated the tie a predetermined distance.

We have also provided an improved manual override assembly for our spike holder. In the event that it is found necessary to manually set the drive spikes because of unforeseen conditions occurring in the field, our manual override permits our improved spike driving machine ,to be operated in a conventional manner without the spike holder and its associated withdrawal means. The field conditions which may be encountered that require the use of the manual override mechanism are prob- Our improved apparatus includeslems such as field damage of the apparatus caused by jammed or bent spikes.

This invention comprises the new and improved construction and combination of parts and their operative relation to each other which will be described more fully hereinafter and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings to be taken as part of this specification, we have fully and clearly illustrated our invention in which drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation with certain parts omitted and illustrating a pair of spike driving hammers adapted to serve a single rail.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view, with certain parts omitted, illustrating the apparatus for moving the spike driving hammers fore and aft relative to the carriage.

FIGURE 3 is a viewin front elevation and partly in section taken along the line III-III in FIGURE 1 with certain parts omitted.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed view in elevation of the spike driving carriage with certain parts omitted for clarity.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view in section taken along the line VV in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view in section taken along the line VI-VI in FIGURE 4.

FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 are similar to FIGURE 4 and illustrate the various positions of our spike driving apparatus during a spike driving operation.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary section taken along the line XX in FIGURE 4 and illustrating the spike clamp in a disengaged position.

FIGURE 11 is a view similar to FIGURE 10 taken along the line XI-XI in FIGURE 7 illustrating the spike clamp in an engaged position.

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary section taken along the line XII-XII in FIGURE 4 illustrating the spike feed mechanism.

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary enlarged view illustrating a manual override means for the spike holder.

FIGURE 14 is a schematic diagram of the controls employed with our new machine and the principal components of our apparatus illustrated in FIGURE-S 4-9.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and especially to FIGURES l, 2 and 3, a truck generally designated by the numeral 10, having a frame 12 and front and rear wheels 16 and I4, is adapted to run on rails 18 of a previously laid portion of track. The rails 18 rest on tie plates 20 supported by wooden ties 22. The

truck frame 1-2 carries suitable means for propelling the truck along the rails and means for fixing the position of the truck 10 relative to the tie plates 20. The frame 12 also supports a tie nipper frame 23 which in turn supports a tie nipper assembly 24. The tie nipper assembly is illustrated in FIGURE 3 and includes a pair of tongs 26 which are arranged to grip a tie and lift the tie into engagement with the base of the rail in a known manner. The structural features of the tie nipper assembly are described in Patent No. 2,925,048 and do not form a part of this invention.

Extending laterally from and supported by the tie nipper frame 23 is a beam 28. Pivotally carried by the ends of beam 28 are spike driving hammer carriage frames 30 and 32. The spike driving frames 30 and 32 are like in construction and each supports a pair of spike driving hammer carriages or assemblies generally designated by the numeral 34. The carriages 34 are carried by the frames 30 and 32 a fixed distance above the rail 18 and at predetermined lateral distances from the rail by means of guide wheels 35. The guide wheels 35 are connected to the carriage frames 30 and 32 in a suitable manner. The carriage frames 30 and 32 are connected to each other by means of an expansible telescopic member 36 that includes a piston cylinder actuator or some suitable resilient means (FIGURE 2). The

telescopic member 36 is operable to urge the carriage frames outwardly and maintain the flange of wheels 35 in abutting relation with the rails 18. The respective spike driving hammers carried by carriers and 32 are thereby maintained in a fixed predetermined lateral relation with the respective rails 18. The guide wheels 35 are provided with an adjustment mechanism generally designated by the numeral 38 (FIGURE 3). The relative positions of wheels 35 in respect to the carriage frames 30 and 32 may be thereby adjusted to compensate for the changes in the track gauge.

The frame '12 has a forward extension 40 which carries the operator compartment 42. The operators seat 44 is positioned in compartment 42 adjacent the controls 46 and spike feeders 48. Suitable control actuators are also provided in compartment 42 to enable the operator, while seated on seat 44, to actuate the necessary controls later described. I

Referring again to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the carriage frames 30 and 32 are arranged tocarry spike driving carriages 34. Since the carriages are of like construction, similar numerals will be employed to designate the similar parts, and only one spike driving carriage will be described in detail. carried by the frame 30 by means of horizontal rods 50 and 52 (FIGURES 2 and 3). ranged to move fore and aft within frame 30 on rods 50 and 52. The operator, by means of suitable controls, thus moves carriage 34 fore and aft relative to tie 22 to properly position the spike driving hammerand spike over the hole in the tie plate. Thus, the operator positions the machine over the desired tie 22 and makes final minute adjustments in the position of carriage 34 relative to tie 22 by moving the carriage 34 fore and aft on rods 50 and 52. A suitable means for moving the carriage 34 fore and aft relative to the frame 30 is illustrated in Patent No. 2,925,048. I

Now referring to FIGURES 4-9 inclusive, there is illustrated a spike driving carriage 34 having a frame 54 movably secured to the rods 50 and 52. The frame 54 has an upper horizontal plate 56 and vertical legs 58 and 60. The horizontal plate 56 is secured to the vertical legs 58 and 60 in a suitable manner and is rigidly affixed thereto by means of gusset plates 62. The plate 56 has apertures 66 and 68 therethrough. The vertical leg 60 has an inwardly extending flange 70 (FIGURES 5 and 6) which serves as a guide.

A cylinder 72 is secured to the top portion of the plate 56 by means of a mounting flange 74. The cylinder 72 has a bottom wall 76 with a central aperture 78 therethrough. The cylinder 72 has a closed top wall 80 with a similar central aperture 82. Positioned within the cylinder 72 is a pair of pistons 84 and 86. A piston rod 88 is secured at one end to the lower piston 84 and extends downwardly therefrom through aperture 78 in cylinder 72 and aperture 68 in plate 56. The other end of piston rod 88 is connected to the top portion of a spike driving hammer 90 at 91. Another piston rod 92 is secured atone end to the top surface of piston 86 and has its other end 94 extend upwardly through cylinder top wall aperture 82. The piston rod 92 has a longitudinal bore 96 therethrough which is in communication with a bore 98 in piston 86. The bores 96 and 98 serve as a passageway for pressurized fluid introduced between the pistons 84 and 86. A cup shaped stop collar 100 has an aperture 102 therethrough. An internally threaded nut 104 is secured to the upper portion of member 100 in aligned relation with aperture 102. The piston rod 92 has a threaded intermediate portion arranged to threadedly receive nut 104 and thereby fixedly position collar 100 relative to piston rod end.

portion 94. A lock nut 106 is threadedly secured on piston rod 92 and locks the collar 100 in a preselected position on piston rod 92. As is illustrated in FIGURE 5, the stop collar 100 is arranged to abut the top wall The spike driving carriage 34 is 80 of cylinder 72 after piston rod 92 has moved downwardly a predetermined distance. A sleeve 162 is positioned around collar 100 and secured to the top of cylinder 72 as a safety guard.

The spike driving hammer 90 is of conventional construction and has its upper portion secured to the lower end of :piston rod 88 at 91. The spike driving hammer 90 is guided for vertical movement relative to frame 54 by means of guides 70. The hammer 90 has a rearwardly The carriage 34 is arextending plate 108 adjacent its top portion. The plate arranged to ride in abutting relation with guide rail 110. i

The plates 108, 112 and 114, moving as a unit with the spike driving hammer 90, maintain the hammer in fixed spaced relation with frame 54. Plate 108 has an aperture 116 therein and a threaded nut 118 secured therebeneath till vertical alignment with aperture 116. A rod 120 extends through aperture 116 in plate 108 and is secured at its lower end in nut 118. A lock nut 122 looks the rod 120 relative to plate 108.

The frame top plate 56 has a sleeve 124 positioned in overlying relation with aperture 66. Sleeve 124' has an enlarged threaded bore 126 which receives an externally threaded adjustment member 128. The threaded adjustment member 128 'has a central bore 130 therethrough.

. The adjustment member 128 is threadedly secured in 124 means 134 will move toward the adjustment member 128.

The cylinder 72 has outwardly extending guides 136 adjacent its top port-ion to guide a vertical spike holder pul laway rod 138 therein. The frame top plate 56 has elongated notch therein which also serves as a guide for the rod 138. A sleeve member 140 is slidably positioned on rod 120 and is secured to rod 138 to move vertically therewith relative to rod 120. Thus, as illustrated in FIGURE 9, .when the spike driving hammer 90 moves downwardly to its lowermost position, the abutment 134 on rod 120 is in abutting relation with sleeve 140 associated with rod 138 and sleeve 140 is in abutting relation with adjustment member 128. In this position, the downward travel of the hammer is stopped and the spike driving operation is completed.

The hammer 90 has a spike holder generally designated by the numeral 142 pivotally secured thereto by pin 144. The spike holder pullaway rod 138 is connected to a spike holder 142 by a double hinge connection which includes pins 146, 148 and intermediate rod 150. The spike holder 142 is maintained in the position illustrated in FIGURE 4 the pivotal arrangement described. As the spike driving hammer 90 moves downwardly toward the position illustrated in FIGURE 9, the sleeve 140 connected to rod 138 abuts adjustment member 128 and pivots the spike holder 142 about pivot pin 144 to thereby move the spike holder 142 from under the spike driving hammer 90. As the hammer continues downwardly to the posiangle 15-2 extending upwardly from the frame 54 in pawl:

lel spaced relation with spike holder pullaway rod 138. The angle 152 has a longitudinal slot 154 therein (FIG- URE 13). A trigger mechanism 156 is pivotally secured to the angle 152 in a manner that ear 158 of trigger 156 extends through slot 154 when trigger 156 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction to the position indicated in FIGURE 13. A spring 159 is connected to trigger 156 and angle 152 to maintain the trigger 156 in either of the two extreme positions. The rod 138 has a sleeve type stop member 160 slidably affixed thereto adjacent the sleeve 146 by means of spring 161. When the trigger 156 is in the engaged position, as illustrated in FIGURE 13, the car 158 abuts the stop 169 and limits downward movement of rod 138 so that the spike holder 142 is maintained in a withdrawn position similar to that illustrated in FIGURE 9 and permits the spike driving hammer 90 to drive preset spikes.

A spike feeder 48 is secured to the vertical leg 58 of frame 54. A strap member 164 maintains the feeder 48 at the desired sloped position to feed spikes by gravity to a chute 176. The ifeeder 48 is channel shaped in section and is arranged to receive spikes S as indicated in dotted lines in FIGURES 49. The spike feeder 48 is arranged to support the spikes is in a substantially vertical position as illustrated with the enlarged head portion of one spike abutting the body portion of the adjacent spike. In this manner, the body portions of the spikes are maintained in spaced relation to each other. A pair of cylinders 168 and 170 have pistons or pins 172 and 174 which are arranged to limit downward movement of spikes S and to feed the spikes, one at a time, to the spike receiving chute 176. The pin 174 is arranged to extend in such manner as to prevent the stored spikes from sliding toward chute 176 and in a manner later described feed spikes one at a time to the chute 176. Pin 172 is arranged to urge the second spike against the side of feeder 48. The chute 176 is tpivota lly connected to the frame vertical leg 58 by pin 178 and is spring loaded into the position indicated in FIGURE 4 by means of coil spring 180. A guide 182 is secured to spike driving hammer 90 and has an inturned portion 184 which is arranged to move chute 176 from beneath the spike driving hammer 90 as it descends to the position indicated in FIGURE 7.

The spike holder generally designated 'by the numeral 142 is illustrated in detail in FIGURES l and 11 and includes a permanent magnet 186 positioned to hold the spike discharge from chute 176. The spike holder 142 has a recessed cup portion 188 and a pair of ears 190. An L-shaped clamp 192 is pivotally connected to ears 190 by means of pin 194. The L-shaped clamp 192 has a spike engaging arm 196 which is arranged to abut the body portion 198 of spike 290. The L-shaped clamp 192 is urged into clamping relation with spike 200 by the coil spring 202 positioned in the cup shaped recess 188 and urging clamp 192 in a clockwise direction as illustrated in FIGURE 11. The clamp 192 is operable to align spikes that are magnetically held in spike holder 142. The spike engaging arm urges the body portion 198 of spike 200 against a wall 203 in spike holder 142 thus assuring accurate alignment with the substantially vertical center line of the spike driving hammer as the spike is held by the permanent magnet 186. The guide rail 114 has a cam portion 204 adjacent its lower end (FIGURE 4) which engages the free end of L-shaped clamp 192 and maintains the spike engaging arm 196 away from the spike body portion 198 until the spike driving hammer 99 and spike holder 142 have moved downwardly a predetermined distance from the frame 54. The engaged position of the spike clamp 192 is illustrated in FIGURE 11 which is a section taken along the line XIXI of FIGURE 7. FIGURE 10 illustrates the clamp in the disengaged position wherein the L- shaped arm 192 is maintained in spaced relation with the spike body portion 198 and is a section taken along the line XX in FIGURE 4. With the cam arrangement 204, the spike engaging arm 196 does not interfere with the feeding of a spike down chute 176 into engagement with the permanent magnet 186. As the spike driving hammer and the spike holder 142 move downwardly, the clamp 192 is disengaged from cam 204 and spike engaging arm 196 moves into clamping engagement with the spike body portion 198 to plumb the spike against the vertical wall 203 of spike holder 142.

The cylinder 72 is schematically illustrated in FIG- URE 14 with the associated controls. The cylinder 72 has a first inlet port 220 and a second inlet port 222. The ports 22:) and 222 are also illustrated in FIGURE 4. A supply of air under pressure is introduced into a pilot operated three way valve 224 through conduit 226. Another supply of air under pressure is introduced into pilot operated three way valve 228 through conduit 239. A third source of pressurized air is introduced into a three way valve 232 through conduit 234. The air introduced through conduits 226, 230 and 234 may be supplied from a common source such as a compressor or the like at standard industrial pressure of approximately p.s.i.

The valve 224 has a port 236 which is connected to the inlet port 220 of cylinder 72 by means of conduit 238. The valve 224 has another port 240 connected to an exhaust conduit 242. In the inoperative or normal state, valve 224 maintains conduit 238 pressurized which in turn pressurizes cylinder 72 via port 220. With both cylinder port 222 and bore 95 vented to atmosphere, to be detailed later, the pressure below piston 84 will urge piston 84 upward until it abuts piston 86 and it in turn abuts the cylinder top wall 80. Thus, spiking hammer 90 is normally held at its uppermost position.

A spring-loaded back-pressure valve 244 is connected in conduit 242 to supply a back pressure of about 20 psi. The valve 228 has a port 246 which is connected by means of conduit 248 to port 222 in cylinder 72. Valve 228 has another port 250 that is vented to atmosphere through conduit 252. Pilot pressure is supplied to valves 224 and 228 through conduit 254. A three way valve 256 is operable to control the pressure in conduit 254. The valve 256 is schematically illustrated as having an air supply through conduit 258 into port 269, and an exhaust port 262 which is vented to atmosphere. An actuator 264 is spring loaded into the position illustrated in FIGURE 14 wherein the conduit 254 is vented to atmosphere. When the actuator 264 is moved downwardly, port 262 is closed and port 260 is opened to supply pressurized air to conduit 254 to actuate the valves 224 and 228 as later described. Another valve 232 is a two positioned valve which has a port 266 connected to pressure conduit 234 and an exhaust port 268 open to atmosphere. The valve 232 includes an actuator 270 which is normally in the position illustrated in FIGURE 14. The conduit 272 connects bore 96 in piston rod 92 to valve 232 and a pressure regulator 299 is positioned in the conduit between the bore and the valve 232. When the actuator 270 is moved to the position indicated in dotted lines in FIGURE 14, the conduit 272 is connected to the source of air under pressure entering valve 232 through port 266 to thereby supply air to the cylinder 72 between pistons 84 and 86.

The spike feeder control mechanism, which includes the cylinders 168 and (FIGURE 12), has pins 172 and 174 which extend into the spike feeder 48. The pin 174 is spring loaded into the position illustrated in FIG- URE 14 with the pin 174 extending outwardly from the cylinder 170. The pin 172 is spring loaded into the retracted position as illustrated in FIGURE 14. Cylinder 170 has an inlet port 274 and the cylinder 168 has an inlet port 276. A common conduit 178 is connected to ports 276 and 274. The other end of conduit 278 is connected to a three way valve 280 which has a port 282 connected to a suitable source of air pressure, supplied through conduit 284. The valve 280 has a second port 286 which is vented to atmosphere. The valve 280 is a two position valve which connects conduit 278 either to the pressurized air in conduit 284 or to the atmosphere through port 286. The valve 280 is normally in the position illustrated in FIGURE 12 wherein conduit 278 is connected to port 286 and vented to the atmosphere. When actuator 288 is moved inwardly, the conduit 278 is connected to the supply of air under pressure entering valve 280 through conduit 284. The air entering conduit 284 may be supplied from a source common to conduits 226, 230 and 234.

A control handle 290 is pivotally secured to the operators console in a suitable manner and serves to actuate valves 280, 256 and 232 in the desired sequence. Movement of the control handle to the forward position will admit air under pressure to cylinders 168 and 170 thus simultaneously advancing pin 174 and retracting pin 172 to advance a single spike to the spike chute 176. Advancing the handle 290 to a position wherein the abutment 292 thereon depresses the actuator 264 of valve 256 and supplies pressurized air through conduit 254 to both valves 228 and 224.

When pilot pressure is admitted through valve 256 into conduit'254, the air supply from conduit 226 is blocked and cylinder 72 exhausts through conduit 238 to port 236 of valve 224. Port 236 is connected to port 240 by the pilot operation. The conduit 242, connected to port 240, has a back pressure valve 244 which maintains about 20 psi. back pressure on conduit 242 and which thus prevents the pistons 84 and 86 and spike driving hammer 90 from falling.

This movement of control handle 290 causes pistons 86 and 84 to move downwardly until stop sleeve 100 abuts the top wall 80 of cylinder72. At this point, the descent of the pistons and the spike driving hammer 90 is stopped, supported by the 20 psi. residual pressure below piston 84 in cylinder 72. As will later be dis cussed, it is at this position that the' spike is adjacent the tie plate and the operator may minutely adjust the frame 54 relatively to the vehicle to properly align the spike with the hole in the tie plate. Upon advancing the control handle beyond the position over valve 256, the actuator 270 on valve 232 is depressed, venting the conduit 254 to atmosphere. When actuator 270 of valve 232 is depressed, air under pressure is supplied through conduit 234, valve 232 and conduit 272 to the bore 96 in piston rod 92. The air pressure urges piston 84 downwardly until the lower stop means is encountered by the spike driving hammer 90. To maintain the pistons 84 and 86 and spike driving hammer 90 in a retracted position, the valve 224 is arranged to maintain, under normal conditions, a pressure on piston 84. This urges the pistons 84 and 86 and spike driving hammer 90 upwardly into the retracted postion.

Operation 7 Referring now to FIGURES 4-9 and 14, the sequential operation of our improved spike driving mechanism will be set forth. As the vehicle approache a tie to be serviced, the vehicle 10 is stopped and the spike driving assembly 34 is adjusted to a position in the immediate vicinity of the tie plate. The spike driving hammer 90 is in aretracted position as illustrated in FIGURE 4 because of the pressure supplied through conduit 226, valve 224 and conduit 238 to the bottom of cylinder 72. To feed a spike from spike feeder 48 to spike holder 142, the operator moves handle 290 in a forward direction to actuate valve 280. Pin 174 retracts and pin 172 extends. With this operation, a single spike is introduced into the chute 176-and is magnetically held by the mag-- net 186 in spike holder142. The tongs 26 of tie nippers '24 have previously been lowered by a separetract pin 172. and extend pin 174 in the feed metering device. The handle 290 is then advanced until abutment means 292 depresses actuator 264 of valve 256. Air under pressure is then introduced through conduit 230, valve 228, conduit 248 to port 222 in cylinder 72. This air under pressure moves pistons 84 and 86 downwardly and simultaneously moves spike driving hammer downwardly therewith. As the hammer 90 moves downwardly, the L-shaped clamp 192 is disengaged from cam 204 to clamp the spike in a position of alignment with the principal axis of the spike driving hammer. The spike driving hammer 90 continues downwardly until stop collar 100 abuts the top of cylinder 72. The relative position of the spike clamped in holder 142 at the intermediate stop position is illustrated in FIGURE 7. The spike is a short distance above the tie plate and the operator may move the spike driving hammer carriage fore and aft to accurately align the spike with the hole in the tie plate. After the spike has been accurately aligned with the hole in the tie plate, the

rate control mechanism to grip the tie and urge the tie into abutting relation with the :tie plate 20 as illustrated in FIGURE- 5. The operator then moves the handle 298 forwardly and deenergizes valve 280 to again handle 290 is advanced to a position where actuator 270 in valve 232 is depressed. This movement of handle 290 supplies air under pressure through conduit 272 to the bore 96 in piston rod 92. Air is then introduced between pistons 84 and 86 to move piston 84 downwardly relative to cylinder 72. The spike driving hammer 90 also moves downwardly and the spike is driven into the tie. When the sleeve 140, associated with spike holder pullaway row 138, abuts adjustment member 128, the spike holder 142 is withdrawn from beneath the spike driving hammer 90. It should be noted that the spike has penetrated the tie 22 a predetermined distance as illustrated in FIGURE 8. The spike driving hammer 90 continues downwardly driving the spike into the tie 22 until the stop 134 on rod abuts sleeve 140. This is illustrated in FIGURE 9 and indicates the position at which the pike driving operation is completed; The operator then moves the control handle 290 in a counterclockwise direction as illustrated in FIGURE 12 and vents line 272 to atmosphere through valve 232 and port 268. Air is then supplied under pressure through line 226' valve 224 and conduit 238 to the port 220 and cylinder 72 to retract the spike driving hammer 90 to position illustrated in FIGURE 4.

It should be understood that separate power means is employed to actuate the hammer mechanism of spike driving hammer 90 and the heretofore discussed controls relate only to the means for moving the hammer upwardly and downwardly.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explained the principal preferred construction and mode of operation of our invention and have illustrated and described what we now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, we desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than a specifically illusbination comprising, a support means, a spike 'driving.

hammer movable relative to said support means, a spike holder pivot-ally attached to said hammer and movable vertically therewith for holding spikes to be driven, and positioning means for positioning said spike driving hammer and spike holder relative to said support means, said positioning means including interrupt means to simultaneously stop the downward movement of said hammer and spike holder at a first predetermined position relative to said support mean-s whereat the lower end of a spike held in said spike holder is spaced above the tie into which it is to be driven, said positioning means also including means to move said hammer and spike holder horizontally to locate the spike and means to override said stop means and move said spike driving hammer and spike holder downwardly beyond said predetermined position so that. the lower end of the spike 1 3. contacts the tie and means to move said hammer and spike holder upwardly to a retracted position above said predetermined position after the spike is driven into the tie.

2. A spike driving machine as set forth in claim 1 which includes an adjustment means for said stop means to change the position at which said stop means simultaneously interrupts the downward movement of said hammer and spike holder.

3. A spike driving mach-inc as set forth in claim 1 which includes a second stop means to limit downward movement of said hammer at a second predetermined position below said first predetermined position and an adjustment means for said second stop means, said adjustment means operable to change the position at which said second stop mean-s stops the downward movement of said hammer.

4. A spike driving machine as set forth in claim 1 which includes a means associated with said support means for pulling said spike holder away from under said hammer after said hammer and spike holder move downwardly a predetermined distance past said first predetermined distance.

5. A spike driving machine as set forth in claim 3 which includes pullaway means associated with said support means for pulling said spike holder away from under said hammer after said hammer and said spike holder move downwardly a predetermined distance past said first predetermined position, said pullaway means associated with said adjustment means for said second stop means so that adjustment of said adjustment means simultaneously adjusts said pullaway means to change the position at which said spike holder is withdrawn from under said hammer.

6. A spike driving machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said spike holder includes a magnet for holding a spike and clamp means for moving the spike into a substantially vertical position on said magnet whereby the spike is properly aligned with the hammer.

7. A spike driving machine as set forth in claim 6 which includes means for maintaining said clamp means in a disengaged position until said spike driving hammer has moved downwardly a predetermined distance, and means for moving said clamp means into clamping engagement with said spike after said spike driving hammer has moved downwardly a predetermined distance.

8. In a railway track spiking machine which includes a vehicle adapted to run on rails, said vehicle having a support frame, at least one spike driving hammer mounted on said frame in vertically movable relation thereto, and a spike holder attached to said hammer for movement therewith for holding spikes to be driven, said spike driving hammer adapted to drive spikes through apertures in tie plates to secure said rails and tie plates to underlying wooden ties, the improvement comprising a cylinder secured to and extending from said support frame, said cylinder having a first piston positioned therein, a first piston rod connected at one end to said first piston and extending downwardly therefrom, the other end of said first piston rod secured to said spike driving hammer so that upon vertical movement of said first piston in said cylinder said spike driving hammer and spike holder move vertically relative to said rail and tie plate, a second piston positioned in said cylinder above said first piston, a second piston rod secured at one end to said second piston and extending upwardly from said second piston, said second piston rod extending above the upper end of said cylinder and having a stop means secured thereto, means adjacent the lower portion of said cylinder to supply fluid under pressure to said cylinder to move both of said pistons and said hammer and spike holder upwardly away from said rail, means adjacent the upper portion of said cylinder to supply fiuid under pressure to said cylinder to simultaneously move both of said pistons and said hammer and spike holder downwardly a predetermined distance in said cylinder until said stop means on said second piston rod abuts said cylinder top wall and the downward movement is interrupted when said spike driving hammer and spike holder are positioned a predetermined distance from said rail whereat the lower end of a spike carried by said spike holder is spaced above the tie plate through which it is to be driven and means to move said hammer and spike holder fore and aft for alignment of the spike with the aperture in the tie plate, and means to supply fluid under pressure between said pistons to move said spike driving hammer downwardly toward said rail to a second predetermined position.

9. A railway track spiking machine as set forth in claim 8 in which said stop means is adjustably positioned on said second piston rod, said stop means being operable to change the relative predetermined position at which the downward movement of said spike driving hammer and spike holder are interrupted relative to said rail.

10. In a railway track spiking machine including a vehicle adapted to run on rails, said vehicle having a support frame, at least one spike driving hammer mounted on said frame in vertically movable relation thereto, and a spike holder pivotally affixed to said hammer, said spike driving hammer adapted to drive spikes through apertures in tie plates to secure said rails and plates to underlying wooden ties, the improvement comprising positioning means for positioning said spike driving hammer and spike holder relative to said rail, said positioning means including stop means to simultaneously interrupt the vertical movement of said hammer and spike holder at a predetermined position whereat the lower end of a spike carried by said spike holder is spaced above the tie plate, said positioning means also including means to adjust the hammer and spike holder fore and aft and means to move said hammer and spike holder downwardly beyond said position, a rod secured to said hammer and extending upwardly therefrom adjacent to said support frame, abutment means on said rod, contact means on said frame in operative position relative to said abutment means, said abutment means cooperating with said contact means to limit the downward movement of said spike driving hammer beyond said predetermined position.

11. A railway track spiking machine as set forth in claim 10 which includes a pullaway rod hingcdly secured to said spike holder and movable vertically therewith, an abutment sleeve secured to said pullaway rod and operable to abut said contact means on said frame when said spike driving hammer moves downwardly past said predetermined position, said pullaway rod arranged to pivot said spike holder relative to said spike driving hammer to thereby pull said spike holder away from under said spike driving hammer as said spike driving hammer moves downwardly beyond said predetermined position.

12. A railway track spiking machine as set forth in claim 11 which includes an adjustment means operable to move said contact means vertically relative to said frame to thereby change both the predetermined position at which said spike holder is pulled away from under said spike driving hammer and to change the relative position at which said abutment means associated with said first rod stops downward movement of said spike driving hammer relative to said rail.

13. A railway track spiking machine as set forth in claim 11 which includes a magnet for holding a spike on said spike holder and a clamping means associated with said spike holder and operable to engage the spike and move it into a substantially vertical position on said magnet beneath said spike driving hammer, said clamping means including a cam means on said frame operable to maintain said clamping means in a disengaged position when said spike driving hammer is a predetermined distance above said rail.

14. A railway track spiking machine as set forth in claim 11 which includes a channel shaped spike feeder secured to said frame in angular relation thereto and a spike receiving chute pivotally secured at the lower end of said feeder, said feeder operable to feed spikes downwardly to said chute, feeding means for said spikes in said feeder, said feeding means including a pair of p ns extending inwardly into said channel and operable to extend between the body portions of adjacent spikes and thereby limit movement of said spikes in said feeder, said pins arranged so that when one pin is extended into said channel the other pin is retracted therefrom, and means to retract and extend said pins into said channel to thereby feed spikes one at a time from said feeder, said chute arranged to extend beneath said spike driving hammer and into operative feeding relation with said spike holder, and means connected to said spike driving hammer operable to pivot said spike receiving chute out from under said spike driving a hammer when said spike driving hammer moves downwardly a predetermined distance.

15. The method of driving spikes through an aperture in a tie plate into a tie positioned therebeneath which comprises the steps of positioning a spike driving hammer in the vicinity of a tie plate, feeding a spike to a spike holder positioned beneath said spike driving hammer, moving said spike driving hammer and said spike downwardly until the lower edge of said spike is adjacent to said tie plate, simultaneously interrupting the downward movement of said spike driving hammer and spike with the lower edge of the spike spaced above the tie plate, moving said spike driving hammer and spike holder in a horizontal plane to accurately position the spike over the aperture in the tie plate, moving the spike driving hammer downwardly to drive the spike through the aperture in the tie plate into the tie beneath said tie plate, and stopping the downward movement of said spike driving hammer after the spike has penetrated the tie a predetermined distance.

16. The method of driving spikes through an aperture in a tie plate into a tie positioned therebeneath which comprises positioning a spike driving hammer in the vicinity of -a tie plate, feeding a spike to a spike holder positioned beneath said spike driving hammer, moving said spike driving hammer and said spike downwardly a predetermined distance, clamping said spike to said spike holder to plumb said spike in said spike holder, moving said spike driving hammer and said spike downwardly until the lower end of said spike is adjacent to said tie plate, simultaneously interrupting the downward movement of said spike driving hammer and spike with the lower end of the spike spaced above the tie plate, laterally moving said spike driving hammer and said spike to accurately position the spike over the aperture in the tie plate, moving the spike driving hammer downwardly to drive the spike through the aperture in the tie plate into the tie beneath said tie plate, withdrawing said spike holder from beneath said spike driving hammer after said spike has penetrated said tie a predetermined distance, moving said spike driving hammer downwardly to completely drive said spike into said tie, stopping the downward movement of said spike driving hammer after the spike has been driven into the tie a predetermined distance, and moving the spike driving hammer upwardly to a predetermined spaced position relative to the rail.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,856,893 5/1932 Talboys 10417 2,400,330 5/1946 Allen 173-18 2,925,048 2/-1960 McWilliams et a1 10417 3,042,004 7/1962 Fischer et al l73l37 X 3,120,195 2/1964 McWilliams 10417 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

JAMES S. SHANK, LEO QUACKENBUSH,

Examiners.

M. I. HILL, R. A. BERTSCH, Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR DRIVING SPIKES INTO TIES, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, A SUPPORT MEANS, A SPIKE DRIVING HAMMER MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS, A SPIKE HOLDER PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO SAID HAMMER AND MOVABLE VERTICALLY THEREWITH FOR HOLDING SPIKES DRIVEN, AND POSITIONING MEANS FOR POSITIONING SAID SPIKE DRIVING HAMMER AND SPIKE HOLDER RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS, SAID POSITIONING MEANS INCLUDING INTERRUPT MEANS TO SIMULTANEOUSLY STOP THE DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID HAMMER AND SPIKE HOLDER AT A FIRST PREDETERMINED POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS WHEREAT THE LOWER END OF A SPIKE HELD IN SAID SPIKE HOLDER IS SPACED ABOVE THE TIE INTO WHICH IT IS TO BE DRIVEN, SAID POSITIONING MEANS ALSO INCLUDING MEANS TO MOVE SAID HAMMER AND SPIKE HOLDER HORIZONTALLY TO LOCATE THE SPIKE AND MEANS TO OVERRIDE SAID TO STOP MEANS AND MOVE SAID SPIKE MEANS HAMMER AND SPIKE HOLDER DOWNWARDLY BEYOND SAID PREDETERMINED POSITION SO THAT THE LOWER END OF THE SPIKE CONTACTS THE TIE AND MEANS TO MOVE SAID HAMMER AND SPIKE HOLDER UPWARDLY TO A RETRACTED POSITION ABOVE SAID PREDETERMINED POSITION AFTER THE SPIKE IS DRIVEN INTO THE TIE. 